The White Stripes are reuniting — to bash Donald Trump.
Five years after Jack White and Meg White parted ways, the erstwhile bandmates are lashing out against a pro-Trump web video’s use of their mega-hit “Seven Nation Army.”
On Thursday, Jack White’s label “Third Man Records” began advertising a new anti-Trump t-shirt.
The front reads, “Icky Trump” — a play on the band’s 2007 album and song, “Icky Thump.” The reverse side features a verse from the title track, which reminds Americans that “you’re an immigrant too.”
In a brief statement posted to their Facebook page — the band’s first joint comment in ages — they appeared to threaten legal action.
“Regarding the use of ‘Seven Nation Army’ in a Donald Trump campaign video, The White Stripes would like to unequivocally state that they have nothing whatsoever to do with this video,” they said. “They are disgusted by this association, and by the illegal use of their song.”
The video clip, created by Trump fan and Breitbart ally “Pizza Party Ben” has been removed from a number of venues, including Twitter, which cited “a report from the copyright holder.”
CNN has reached out to the Trump campaign for response to the Stripes’ criticism, and has not yet gotten a response.
The White Stripes join a laundry list of musicians and entertainers to publicly ask Trump to quite playing their tunes.
After Trump walked onstage to the Queen’s “We Are the Champions” on the first night of the Republican National Convention in July, the band tweeted: “An unauthorised use at the Republican Convention against our wishes.” A month earlier, Queen guitarist Brian May called the campaign “unsavory” after asking that their music not be “be used as a political campaigning tool.”
British singer Adele and the Rolling Stones have also objected to Trump’s use of their music at his rallies. Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe and Neil Young have all clashed with Trump at different stages of the campaign.
